The statement was agreed upon by the Scottish Government, health boards, charities including the British Lung Foundation and Cancer Research UK and other academics, and was published by the Scotland national health education and promotion agency.

Dr Andrew Fraser, director of public health science at NHS Health Scotland, said: “E-cigarettes have been around for a number of years now and we are learning more and more about them but I think it is safe to say that they are a lot safer than cigarettes.”

“If we are trying to help people make a decision about giving up smoking tobacco then e-cigarettes are a good option to consider.”

“We would encourage people to consider them and we would encourage people providing smoking cessation serves to offer them as an option to people who are willing to pay for them,” said Dr Fraser.

“They contain nicotine, which is addictive in itself, and they contain and a number of other combustible materials,” Dr Fraser said.

“But if you take it all in the round and compare it with the alternative they are a lot less harmful than cigarettes.”